How to beat Carny Games

[Corky]

The secret to winning Milk Can is to give the ball a bit of backspin and hit the back of the can’s rim. The backspin will decrease the ball’s momentum, and instead of bouncing off the can, it will slide into the hole. Easier said than done, of course!

Aim for the back of the rim. Remember, we’re trying to deflect the ball in, not sink the ball straight through the hole.


Toss the ball underhanded, but grip the ball on top. This will allow you to give the ball the needed backspin.


Give the ball some backspin as you release it. As you release the ball, give a little flick of the wrist so the ball starts spinning backwards in the air.

From: How to Win Five Popular State Fair Games

http://artofmanliness.com/2011/09/26/how-to-win-state-fair-games/
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[O2BSwank]

All that practice to win a bear that would cost you five bucks at Wal-Mart.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I have a very interesting book called Bunco! by Walter B. Gibson (creator of The Shadow). Though published in 1946 it's a compilation of illustrated magazine articles by Gibson from the 1920s explaining the workings of various carnival games. I don't know where my copy is right now but if I can dig it out I'll try to post some scans.